Aladdin Grizzly Adams lunchbox

The Aladdin Grizzly Adams lunchbox is a vintage lunchbox based on the U.S television series, novel and feature film ‘The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams’.

Background

‘The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams’ was originally a 1972 novel by Charles E. Sellier Jr which was successfully adapted into a hit feature film and subsequent television series. It tells the story of Adams, a woodsman wrongfully accused of murder who hides in the mountains and develops a strong bond with a number of animals in the forest including a bear named Ben.

After the huge success of the 1974 film a series was commissioned starring Dan Haggerty as Adams. It ran for two seasons and 38 episodes from 1977 until 1978, and was followed by a made-for-television film in 1982. The show also produced several items of tie-in merchandise including colouring books, a board game, stuffed toys and a lunchbox released in 1977 by Aladdin Industries.

The Aladdin Grizzly Adams lunchbox

The lunchbox is a domed metal box designed to resemble a log cabin. The front of the box depicts Adams sat in front of his cabin on a tree stump along with a number of animals – his companion Ben the bear sits next to him whilst an owl perches on the window ledge, a racoon sits on his shoulder and a skunk rests by his feet.

The reverse of the box features a mule with a pack of blankets, a fox, a tortoise and another owl. One side shows a deer, whilst the other has a bobcat in a barrel, a jumping rabbit and another skunk. The bottom of the box is green, and shows Adams and Ben stood together on a cliff top. The show’s title log appears in large yellow lettering on both the front and back of the box.

The box also includes a matching thermos flask, which features a different illustration of Adams surrounded by numerous woodland animals.

How much is an Aladdin Grizzly Adams lunchbox worth?

Top condition used boxes with their flasks intact can sell for between $50 and $75, with near-mint or mint condition boxes reaching more than $150.

Average condition boxes without flasks can be found on auction sites such as eBay for around $20 - $40.